MICROSOFT, SKYPE FOR WINDOWS 8

Microsoft announces Skype for Windows 8: full-screen calls, push notifications and People Hub integration.

With Windows 8 going on sale, Microsoft is doing a sensible thing and releasing a version of Skype optimized for Win 8. As you'd expect, Skype for Windows 8 has the same overarching look and feel as other apps, which is to say you can swipe from left to right to see different categories, such as recent activity, favorites and a complete contacts list. But the integration with Windows 8 goes a little deeper than that. Just as you can pinch your Live Tiles to zoom out and make them easier to navigate, you can use semantic zoom to sift through a long list of contacts. And, because Skype runs in the background, you can set up your Start Screen so that the Skype Live Tile shows notifications for things like missed calls. Additionally, Skype is now baked into the People Hub, so that someone's Skype handle shows up alongside other forms of contact, like an email address or phone number.

The in-call experience has also been modified to take advantage of certain features in Win 8. For one, you can link your Skype and Microsoft account, so that when you log into your system using your Microsoft ID, you'll already be logged into Skype. While on a call, you can conduct video chats using the whole screen, at which point chat messages from that person will show up as text bubbles on the side of the screen. At any time, you can swipe to see other recent activity, which could be handy if you're juggling multiple IM conversations at once.

If you prefer, you can also dock Skype on the side of the screen, as you can with any other program in Win 8. With the Skype chat taking up just a third (or two thirds) of the screen, you can use that remaining real estate for an IM chat within Skype, or maybe a web search. Lastly, if you return to the home screen, there's a large phone icon up top where you'll find the dialer, whose number pad allow your fingers plenty of room to hit the right keys. You'll see your balance listed there, too, in the event you're not planning on making a free call to another Skype user. That's our quick summary of what's new, but if you like you'll soon be able to experience it for yourself: the app will be available for free in the Windows Store on October 26th.

Via (Skype)

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Samsung Galaxy Premier Rumor Gathers Steam With Leaked GLBenchmark Results

When we first heard of a rumored Samsung Galaxy Premier handset that might be a Nexus device, we had our doubts, especially when we saw TouchWiz adorning the alleged leaked image from Mobile Geeks. Now, GLBenchmark is also giving the idea of a new model more credence, as it briefly showed a possible GT-I9260 model packing a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, dual 1.5GHz processor and 8-megapixel camera. The page has since been pulled, but a screen cap of the benchmark (after the break) shows PowerVR SGX 544 graphics on the device along with middle-of-the-road scores, though all that would be on a pre-production handset without final software, if it's accurate. Whether such a device would come along at a Google event or one of Samsung's shindigs remains to be seen, but its very existence should be taken with a boulder-sized chunk of salt.

Via Phone Arena

Source GLBenchmark

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My Top 12 Favourite Smartphone Accessories

Whichever smartphone you're currently rocking or aspiring to, the chances are that there will be a certain amount of extra hardware that you'll find helps you get through the day, enhancing what the phone does and helping it do it for longer. Here, in a somewhat personal, though fairly cross-platform selection, I pick my top dozen smartphone accessories. Don't sneer at the back, I bet you get grabbed by a few of these too....

12. Mains battery charger

This is perhaps the oddest item in the dozen and in my case is somewhat manufacturer-specific. As someone with a fair number of Nokia smartphones on the go, and a fair number of batteries that are largely compatible, I find it very useful to be able to charge batteries 'out of the device', so that I know that all my spares really are fully charged when sat on the desk. It's also handy when one's partner says 'oh, my phone's nearly out of power' two minutes before setting off on a journey - "No problem, here's a fully charged battery, pop that in" etc. I use the now discontinued Momax charger shown above, but there are equivalents on eBay and Amazon for HTC and other makes of smartphone battery, so do your research and you'll find something.

11. Car dual USB port adapter

These days one is faced with an ever increasing number of things which need charging in the car and there are two options: split the 12V socket into multiple sockets and then buy/bring each device's 12V charger cable, or split the 12V socket into multiple USB outputs and then use the standard charging cables that you already own. I take the latter approach and find an adapter like this very useful. Anyone know of a triple USB adapter?

10. MicroSIM adapter

Sadly different sized SIM cards are now a fact of life. And, yes, a curse on all the parties involved's houses. I refuse to touch nanoSIM, but at least half my handsets are now microSIM and yet I also want to switch to phones with full size SIM slots every once in a while. The danger is that most cheap plastic adapters leave protruding edges, which then catch on some SIM card slots and can damage the delicate contacts. After some experimenting, David Gilson and I have come up with a winner, characterised by an open back, yet with small diagonal supports in the corners. These are sold by quite a few sellers (e.g. here) and we usually look for the phrase 'German patented' in the item description.

9. Silicone/rubber case

One fact of life for many smartphones (think Nokia N8, Lumia 800/900, iPhone, etc) is that their sleek looks come at a price - they're very slippery. I know, I know, it's a shame to cover up said looks, but when you're out and about at least, use your phone in a silicone or rubber case - they cost only a few pounds, Euros or Dollars on eBay and will make darn sure that you don't drop your pride and joy. For example, my Nokia Lumia 800 came with an official rubber sleeve that fits like a glove and here's my review of the official silicone case for the N8, back in the day.

8. Bluetooth stereo headset

Yes, I cover a wired headset below, but if you're happy charging an extra module and don't mind a tiny bit of reduction in music quality then a decent Bluetooth stereo headset is the way to go. I prefer the type that has the full multimedia controls in a pod that clips to a lapel or short pocket, and then into these I plug the in-ear buds of my choice, which needs charging only about once a week, even with several hours listening a day. There are many different Bluetooth stereo options these days though, including many with media controls built onto the earpieces, so browse around.

7. Integral charger no. 1

(the DC-11, the DC-11K's predecessor, being charged and simultaneously charging two other phones...!)

Later in this top 10 there's a battery/charger, but it's encumbered by coming with all sorts of bits - cable tips, connecting cables and adapters, all of which can get lost far too easily. One solution is to have the cables and connectors integral to the battery, i.e. there's nothing whatsoever to lose. This is exemplified by one of my favourite little gadgets, the Nokia DC-11K, which contains a 1500mAh battery and tethered, flying leads  for both Nokia 2mm and (more appropriately, for many modern phones) microUSB output. Each of the short cables tucks neatly into the body of the battery, making sure nothing gets damaged. See here for my review of the previous DC-11 (currently a real bargain on Amazon) - the only real downside in late 2012 is that the input to charge the DC-11K has to be of the 2mm rather than microUSB variety - fine for Nokia die-hards but annoying for others. 

6. Integral charger no. 2!

Which is where my second integral charger comes in. Proporta's diminutive Pocket Power is strictly microUSB in and microUSB out, with the output lead stored neatly in a recess in the body of the battery. Overall capacity is small at 680mAh, but then this is meant for keeping in a wallet (hence the credit card form factor) and providing an emergency half-charge for when you're caught short, as it were. A terrific idea - everyone should have one in their wallet - empirical evidence points to needing to top it up every couple of months in such a use case. See here for my review.

5. Slimline belt case

Most phone-sized smartphones of the last 3 years have fitted happily in the PDair Leather Case for the N8 - don't be put off by the last bit of the name, this has also fitted just about every Nokia smartphone I've tried, including the newer Lumia 710 and 800. There are similar cases for larger (and smaller) phones though.

4. Nokia Play 360

Although high in my top 10, I can't really afford these. And I use the plural because these Nokia MD-50W 'Play 360' Bluetooth speakers have the unique facility whereby if you pair them together, they turn into rendering full stereo. But you do need two of them, so it works out quite expensive. You can tap them to pair and then tap them again to start playing (via NFC), they sound great and one of my favourite features is that they're powered from a standard phone battery, so you can replace this after a year or so and get full capacity again. See also my full review.

3. Multimedia headset

As featured here, I prefer the old (OMTP-compatible) Nokia AD-54, with the in-ear buds of my choice, giving full control of my music and podcasts without even looking, with the phone in my pocket, but non-Symbian handsets will likely as not use the rival AHJ (American Headphone Jack) standard, first seen in the likes of the iPhone and supported by most Android and Windows Phone handsets. AHJ headsets are based more around multiple presses of one central button, but you can buy AHJ multimedia headsets with multiple buttons, happily.

2. Turbocharger 7000

(shown without the mains-to-USB and 12V-to-USB adapters that I bring along too.... 8-) )

This is the largest pocket battery that Proporta do and I swear by it - the Turbocharger 7000, in its velvet bag and with all the various tips, the mains USB adapter and 12V adapter, goes with me on every trip. Standalone, it gives me about five full charges of my Nokia 808 or about three full charges of my Galaxy Nexus. And then I can be topping up the Turbocharger itself from mains sockets that are convenient, as and when. Essentially, it means that I never have to remember the chargers for anything. Whatever* I bring along by way of phones and gadgets, there will be a cable tip for it for the Turbocharger. See also my full review of this accessory. (*iPhone 5 owners need not apply, for obvious reasons....!)

1. Mini desktop phone stand

It's tiny, it's trivial, it's cheap - and I use it every day. It's a simple clamshell widget that fits in the smallest corner of the smallest pocket and yet which securely holds any smartphone up at the right angle to watch TV or video clips or YouTube. The inside surfaces are nicely grippy and this system seems a lto more secure than the Nokia DT-29 I used to use three years ago (it came in the box with the Nokia 5800!) I honestly can't remember where I got mine from Amazon. And, I'm sure, from many other establishments!

Via (allaboutsymbian)

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NOKIA Sales Take a Big Hit as Buyers Pass On Its Smartphones

By Mikael Ricknas, IDG News Service

• Oct 18, 2012 12:00 PM

Nokia continues to struggle as its third-quarter smartphone unit sales dropped by 63 percent compared to last year, while some warn that expectations for the arrival of its first phones based on Windows Phone 8 should not be too high.

The company reported third-quarter sales of €7.2 billion (US$9.4 billion), down 19 percent year-on-year, making a net loss of €969 million, compared to a net loss of €68 million a year earlier.

Nokia stands and falls with the number of phones it sells and how much it can charge for them, and the third quarter was a difficult one, the company said.

The company sold a total of 82.9 million mobile phones during the third quarter, of which 6.3 million were smartphones (including 2.9 million Lumia devices). That compares to 106.6 million phones, including 16.8 million smartphones, during the same period last year. The number of smartphones sold in the recent quarter is also far fewer than the 10.2 million sold during the second quarter this year.

The numbers highlight how important the upcoming Lumia 820 and Lumia 920, which are based on Windows Phone 8, are for the future of the company. They will go on sale in November from selected operator in selected markets, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said during a conference call following the release of the results.

“The 820 and the 920 launch is absolutely critical. But high expectations should be kept in check, because these are two products that are launching halfway through Q4 into an extremely competitive market and they are expensive products,” said Geoff Blaber, who leads mobile device research at CCS Insight.

The introduction of more low-end and low-cost Windows Phones is what will drive volumes for Nokia, according to Blaber. That fact is apparent to Nokia as well. It will expand the Lumia range to lower price points next year, according to Elop.

The Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 were announced on Sept. 5.

When asked about customer interest for the two new smartphones, Elop said it is hard to judge.

“The signs are positive, but we have to execute in stores,” said Elop.

Much of the battle with Apple and the Android camp will be won and lost in stores where Nokia so far has had trouble breaking through. But, the launch of the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 is backed up by more trained sales people than when Nokia’s Windows Phone 7 devices went on sale, and the total marketing budget will also be larger, said Elop.

The company’s Windows Phone push still has the backing of operators. There is a growing concern about the concentration of power in the smartphone market, especially in the U.S., according to Elop, which he hopes will cause operators to double-down on Windows Phone.

Nokia’s PureView camera technology, wireless charging and location-based services will help the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 stand out from competing Windows Phone 8-based smartphones, according to Elop.

“But our focus is not on that at all. It’s about competing with Android and competing with Apple. That is the principle competition,” said Elop.

However, not everything was doom and gloom during the third quarter: Excluding smartphones, unit sales increased by 4 percent thanks to the arrival of new Asha phones with touch screens.

“The Asha family is doing a good job competing with lower-end Android products. It underlines the fact that the mobile phone business is the engine that supports the smartphone transition,” said Blaber.

The Asha phones and the underlying Series40 OS have been built with developing markets in mind from the ground up, including long battery lives and integrated data compression.

“That is something inherent in how the products have been designed, as opposed trying to take older versions of Android and cram them on cheaper hardware platforms,” said Elop.

Also, the Nokia Siemens Networks equipment business increased its net sales by 3 percent year-on-year.

Nokia expects the fourth quarter to again be a challenging quarter with a lower-than-normal benefit from the holiday shopping season, primarily due to the transition to Windows Phone 8 and its ramp-up plan for new devices, it said.

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